Best pore combination for the purification of home-distilled alcohol

Several activated carbons are available for perfect purification on an industrial scale. This is because the alcohol is filtered from below upward and the contact time can be controlled by a slow flow-through speed. The amateur distiller filters downward fromabove, a process that is usually too fast for the carbon purification process.So a simple peat carbon can be as good as – or even better than – a significantly better coal carbon. It depends more on how small one can get the granules. A coconut carbon of 0.4-0.85 mm, which is almost without meso pores, can do a fantastic job. The impurities are caught between the grains and in the approaches to the micro pores -because the filtration is slow. Likewise, a peat carbon (0.25-1 mm) can work better than a significantly “better” carbon.Peat carbon usually has a surface of approx. 750 sq. meter / g, weighs half of, and can purify better than twice as much “good” carbon. This occurs because of slow filtering (longer contact time), a large contact surface, and also because there are many mesopores in peat carbon. On the other hand, it is not as good for regeneration in repeated use, as it is easily broken. Harder carbons, like stone carbon, are better for regeneration.There is no obvious carbon for the amateur’s use. One can choose a carbon with 0.4- 0.85 mm grain, or mix 2-3 varieties. The tried and tested mix is that of stone carbon and peat carbon. With Prestige activated stone carbon, 0.4-1.4 mm, the quality is consistent. It is a reliable carbon, but the grains are large, 0.4-1.4 mm, so it does not always have enough time to be 100% effective. Peat carbon has smaller grains and many meso pores, giving slow filtration. It is also popular to mix coal carbon 0.4-1.4 mm and a coal carbon that has smaller grains, 0.4-0.85 mm.Lately, many people have started to use stone carbon only, 0.4-0.85 mm. As it is a coal carbon, it has both micro- and meso pores, and the small granules make this carbon preferable. In terms of quality, the Prestige activated carbons found at www.partyman.seare the best. Here one can choose between the leading products’ qualities. Prestige activated carbons are useful as they set the standard and can be used to compare andevaluate other brands. The first thing to check when a carbon does not work is its ability to purify alcohol. With a Prestige carbon one always knows it works